"I think I can face it down somehow," he replied, straight-faced, and half-turned his head to look at her fully. "I'll strike you a deal. No surprises, no punching people I don't like, I don't need that. Ask me the other two, and when I've answered, you'll answer mine. Five questions. Deal?"

He didn't really expect her to refuse. She seemed to like talking, after all, and he didn't plan to ask her anything too uncomfortable. This just felt horribly one-sided, which for somebody unused to talking about himself, made it rather more difficult. Besides, thinking about it, he was a little shocked by just how little he knew of her.